Tent construction



May 7, 1935. c. M, WICKSTRUM TENT CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 16, 1954 (Ittornegs y 1935- c. M, WICKSTRUM 2,000,205

TENT CONSTRUCTION Filed May 16, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheeti 16 5 C 3nventor Patented May 7, 1935 c V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TENT CONSTRUCTION,

Cecil M. Wickstrum, Omaha, Neb'r. Application May 16, 1934, Serial uo 'zzasse it 13 Claims. (01. 135-4) This invention relates to tent framebonstruc- Figure 3 is a planyiew of the tent framep tion, the primary object of the invention being Figures is a sectional" view taken on line-4+4 to provide atent frame of the foldable type; which of Figure 3. V V 1 will be strong and durable, novel means being Figure 5 is a sectionalview taken online 5 -5- -'5 provided for bracing the roof section of the tent, of Figure 1. l l i against excessive Weight resulting from snow or Figure 6 is a sideelevational view illustrating ice collecting thereon. an auxiliary supporting postv as connected with,

Anotherobject of the invention is the proan eavesbara 1 1 r I A vision of a'removable corner pole or post, capable Figure 7 is asectional view taken on line |--|v 10- of being readily positioned'along the eaves bars of Figure 6. v p i of'the tentframe, to support the tent, when it is Referring to thexdr'awingsin detail, thetent impossible to position the usual corner spikes, frame forming the subject matter of the present over which the corner poles are placed, owing to invention, is'designed primarilyfor use in the v v the presence of head stones or shrubbery. construction of a; tent commonly known 'as a A further object of the invention is to provide chapel tent, wherein the roof section thereof is 15:

means for removably connecting the ridge pole usually curved.

sections and cave bar sections to the truss col- In the construction bi a chapel tentframe, umns, in such a way that the ridge pole and eave truss sections such as indicated generally by the bars cannot become accidentally displacedE reference character 5. are provided,xthe number Anotherimportant object of the invention is to of trusssections being'determined', by the length 20 provide a tent frame embodying a plurality of of the chapel tent desired. auxiliary or removable truss sections which may Each of these truss sections'embodies a truss be employed when it is desired to support the column indicated by the reference character 6, roof or tent against excessive weight, caused by to theupper end of which truss column, is conice-or snow collecting on the roof. nected a frame indicated at 1,, the frame having 25 1 Still another important object of the invenopenings in the side plates' thereof; i

tion is to provide a tenttruss of a construction he reference cha a ter designates arch whereby all of the members of the truss'are tions of the truss, each of which comprises curved hinged, to the end that it is unnecessary to disds 9 rmed W h nw d xt ends connect or disassemble the members, when the afi fit in'the Openings formed inthe'frame 0 tent is being dismantled or erected. as shown by Figure 3' of the drawings.

A still further object of the invention is the The rods of which the arch sectionsiare formed, provision of brace bars so arrangedwith respect are held in pr p Spaced 'lelation with each to the truss sections and ridge pole sections, that other, by an i h -m S ap l t a collapse of the frame during the process of erec- ShOWn s connected with the near the 3 tion, and when oonnecting bars are being apend thereof. A a plied, will be prevented. At the outer ends of the arch sections 8, are

Still another object of the invention is to proom \DOStS Which posts are formed With Videatent frame capable of adjustment'tovarious c ps, o W h the o 13 are Welded, the ds 40 lengths, for various purposes. [3 being formed with eyes l4, that extend be- 40 With the foregoing and other objects in view, yondthe sides of thecorner posts. which will appear as the description proceeds, These'rods also provide the securing means the invention resides in the combination and'arbetween the arch sections 8 and the corner posts, rangement of parts and in the details of constructhe rods of which the. arch sections are formed,

tion hereinafter described and claimed, it being having'their outerends looped around the rods [3. 45 understood that changes in the precise embodi- Slidably mounted on the truss column 6 of each ment of the invention herein disclosed, may be truss, isna frame indicated at 15, which frame is made within the scope of what is claimed, without m d with p n n to m da he indeparting from the spirit of the invention. wardly extended ends 16 of the brace sections Referring to the drawings: l1, each brace section embodying a pair of rods, ,0

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a tent held in their proper spaced relation by the wide frame constructed in accordance with the invenstraps l8, which are secured. near the ends tion. thereof. v

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-.2 The outer ends of the brace sections are also 5 of Figure 1. formed with inwardly :extendedportions, fitted in openings disposed in opposite sides of the corner posts, at points spaced from the upper ends of the posts, so that free pivotal movement of the posts with respect to the frame, will be permitted at all times.

Brace rods indicated at l9, connect with the plates 20, that are in turn secured to the curved rods 9, the free ends of the brace rods I!) being formed into laterally extended end portions that pass through openings in the frame [5, thereby bowing the arch sections, and holding the arch sections in their bowed positions, properly shaping the frame. 1

In order that the brace rods will be held against accidental displacement, sliding loops 2 I are provided, which sliding loops move to positions .ad-. jacent to the free ends of the brace'rods, preventing the rods from moving. laterally, after.

they have been positioned. I

rod 22, which has its ends formed into eyes 23, which eyes aredesigned to accommodate the hooks 24 of the ridge pole sections 25. These ridge pole sections aretubular, one of the sections carrying a pin 26, over which the adjacent ridge pole section is positioned, in connecting the ridge pole sections.

7 These hooks 24 are so constructed that when they are positioned, the inner ends of the hooks must be lowered, allowing the ridge pole sections to swing inwardly before they may be removed from the eyes 23.

The eave bars are of a construction identical with the construction of the ridge pole sections, and therefore further detailed description of these sections, is believed unnecessary.

Connecting rods 21 are pivotally connected with the ridge pole sections and associated col.- umns 6 and with the eave sections and associated corner posts, the free ends of said connecting rods being extended inwardly, where they pass into openings thereof formed in the respective associated members.

These connecting rods are so constructed that they prevent collapsing of the frame, during the erection of the tent, or during the operation to disassemble the tent.

The tent frame also includes auxiliary arch or truss sections, each of which comprises a pair of pivotally connected members 29, connected by means of the hinge sections 30. Each of these hinge sections is formed witha downwardly extended lug, the inner surface of the cooperating lugs, being curved to fit arounda ridge pole section associated therewith.

At the outer ends of the auxiliary arch sections, are clamping members 32, each of which being substantially U-shaped to fit over the eave bars of the tent frame structure,as shown by Figure 4 of the drawings.

Set screws 33 extend through the clamping members, and engage theveave bars with which the auxiliary truss is used, thereby securing the auxiliary trussor arch in position; 1

From the foregoing it will be seen that due to this construction an auxiliary arch or truss may be readily and easily secured within the frame of the tent, to support the roof or tent against excessive weight caused by ice or snow collecting on the roof.

, In connection with the corner post, spikes, such as indicated at 34 are used, the spikes being driven into the ground surface in such positions that the corner posts may be fitted thereover, and secured by means of set screws 35.

In the erection of a tent frame, should it be found that it is impossible to position the spikes, owing to the presence of a head stone or shrubbery, an auxiliary post such as indicated by fingers 6 and l of the drawings, is used. This auxiliary post includes a main section 36, which is formed with a curved clamp 31 at its upper end, the clamp being so constructed that it will fit around an eave bar, where it is secured in position by means of set screw 38.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. A tent frame construction comprising truss sections, each truss section including a column,

. means for connecting the outer ends of the brace rods and the outer ends of the roof sections, brace rods extending from the roof sections to the frame, and posts at the ends of the roof sections.-

2. A tent frame construction comprising truss sections, each of said truss sections comprising roof sections, a column to which the roof sections are pivotally connected, a frame slidable throughout the length of the column, brace rods, means for pivotally connecting the brace rods and roof sections, means for pivotally connecting the brace rods to the slidable frame, and means for holding the frame in its active position.

' 3.'The combination with a tent frame having a ridge pole and eaves bars, an auxiliary arch; member including hingedly connected sections, a clamping member disposed intermediate the ends of the arch member and adapted to clamp the ridge pole,'and clamps at the ends of the arch member and adapted to clamp the eaves bars of the tent frame.

4. The combinationwith a tent frame having a ridge pole and eaves bars, an auxiliary arch including arch sections, a hinge connecting the adjacent ends of the arch sections, curved ridge pole engaging members forming a part of the hinge and adapted to clamp the ridge pole when the outer ends of the arch are moved downwardly, and means at the outer ends of the arch for securing the ends of the arch to the eaves bars.

5. The combination with a tent frame having a ridge pole and eaves bars, of an auxiliary arch comprising pivotally connected sections, means for securing the arch to the ridge pole, U-shaped clamps at the ends of the arch sections and adapted to fit over the eaves bars, and means for securing the U-shaped clamps to the eaves bars. 6. A tent frame construction comprising truss sections, each truss section including a truss column, truss bars, means for pivotally connecting thetruss bars to the upper end of the truss column, corner poles, means for connecting the truss bars to the corner poles, bracing members pivotally connected with the corner poles, and means for slidably and pivotally connecting the bracing members to the truss column.

7. A tent frame construction comprising truss sections, each truss section including a central truss column, truss arch bars pivotally connected with the truss column, corner posts to which the truss arch bars are connected, horizontally disposed eye members at the tops of the corner posts and truss columns, ridge pole, and eaves bars, hooks at the ends of the ridge pole and eaves bars, said hooks adapted to hook into the horizontal eye members, removably connecting the ridge pole and eaves bars to the truss sections.

8. The combination with a tent frame having a ridge pole and eaves bars, of an auxiliary arch embodying sections, a hinge connecting the sections, clamping means carried by the hinge and adapted to clamp the ridge pole of the tent when the free ends of the arch are moved downwardly, and clamps at the outer ends of the auxiliary arch, securing the arch to the eaves bars.

9. The combination with a tent frame having a ridge pole, and eaves bars, of an auxiliary arch embodying curved sections, means for pivotally connecting the inner ends of the curved sections, lugs at the inner ends of the curved sections, said lugs adapted to move towards each other to clamp the ridge pole when the outer ends of the arch are moved into engagement with the eaves bars, and clamps on the auxiliary arch for clamping the eaves bars.

10. The combination with a tent frame having eaves bars, of an auxiliary supporting member, a clamp at one end. of the auxiliary supporting member and adapted to clamp over an eaves bar,

removably clamping the supporting member to the frame.

11. A tent frame construction comprising truss sections, said truss sections having eyes, corner posts, ridge poles and eaves bars, hooks at the ends of the ridge poles and eaves bars, and adapted to hook into the eyes, connecting the truss sec-' tions and corner posts of the frame.

12. The combination with a tent frame having a ridge pole and eaves bars, an auxilary sectional arch member, a clamping member attached to adjacent ends of the sections and adapted to clamp the ridge pole, and clamps at the ends of the arch member, adapted to clamp the eaves bars of the tent frame. a

13. The combination with a tent frame having a ridge pole and eaves bars, an auxiliary arch member embodying sections, a hinge member connecting the sections of the arch member and having curved ridge pole clamping members, and means for securing the free ends of the arch members to the eaves bars.

CECIL M. WICKSTRUM. 

